A Journey to Self-Discovery Begins with AWARENESS

We’re often told to “know ourselves” — to dig deep, assess our abilities, understand our personality traits, and evaluate our skills. The idea is that by doing this, we’ll truly understand who we are. But is that enough? A journey to self-discovery begins with self-awareness.

You don’t just know this

Whenever we evaluate ourselves, we measure against some standard. Whether that’s an official benchmark like exam grades, a personal goal we’ve set, or even an expectation someone else has for us. Your standards can be pretty focused or more open-ended. For example, a narrow standard might aim to pass your driving test after falling short the first time. A journey of self discovery begins with awareness. On the other hand, a broader standard could be less defined, like striving to become more patient and tolerant. Both approaches have value, but you have to know what works best for you.

Self awareness is understanding and acceptance

To get you started, here are some simple evaluation you can start with to unlock your true self

Life Fulfilment: If life isn’t heading in the direction you want. It might be time for a broader look at what’s going wrong. By pinpointing where the discontent is coming from, you’ll have a more straightforward path to making things right. Explore my coaching programmes to get you statrted on your journey of self-discovery.

Health: Too often, we neglect our health, but keeping track of our health and well-being is key. If you’ve ignored minor issues, now’s the time to address them. Also, pay attention to your sleep patterns and nutrition—both can give clues about your feelings on a daily basis.

Happiness: When was the last time you truly felt happy and at peace with yourself? We all fall into habits that don’t serve us but understanding what truly brings joy can help to shift your focus to the things that matter most, light you up and energise you.

Career: Evaluating how things are going at work can illuminate our goals, strengths, and areas for improvement. Understanding these will help us grow and move forward with more clarity and focus.

Other Areas of life

Relationships: It’s easy to let a relationship drag on simply because the thought of ending it feels too overwhelming. But assessing what you truly want and need from a relationship can be a game changer, in both a romantic and a friendship. This can help you either improve the relationship you’re in or guide you to a future one that better suits you.

Finances: If you have big plans, like retiring early or getting on the property ladder, evaluating your finances can be eye-opening. Look for any overspending and check if your savings and investments are truly working for you.

Ethics: This can be a difficult one for many, but a good place to start is by reflecting on situations where you felt proud and at peace with the outcome. When you analyse those moments, you’ll uncover the core values that guide you — a solid foundation for your ethical approach to life.

Implicit Bias: The first thing is to acknowledge your own biases and educate yourself with a reading list or join a discussion group to do better. To dive deeper I will be writing more about this later on in the year.

At this point, I know you might be wondering why am I discussing these things. As aa aligned mindset and well-being strategist designer Total Well-being is multidimensional, we need all of the above and more to have a meaningful and a fulfilled life.

Ask yourself the right questions

It can feel overwhelming to know where to start with self-evaluation. But don’t worry — I’ve got some questions to help you delve a little deeper and get to know yourself better. Self awareness is a journey of self-discovery.

-What do I need most right now?
-Are my goals for the future achievable?
-Is my life in alignment with my values?
-Can I change my old habits to have most significant impact on my life?

Alongside these questions, journaling is a powerful tool for reflecting on where you are and where you wish to be. I’ve been journaling intermittently since my teens, and has been a constant part of my life for past twenty years. My style of journaling is spiritual, but you get to choose yours. If you haven’t started yet, I encourage you to begin journaling — it’s truly life-changing.

Taking time for self-reflection is an excellent way to check in with yourself, and identify areas that need adjustment. I do this about twice a year. You too can adopt this practice and witness how it transforms your life. You can apply to work with me.